Selfless, Brave, and True
by snarkysweetness
Summary: My take on what should happen in episode 18. When Archie fears August, who he's been hiding, is about to do something foolish and brave he goes to Emma for help. Will they be able to save August in time or will it be too late? And can True Love really conquer all or are there some curses that even love can't break?
1. Selfless

**Title: **Selfless, Brave, and True  
**Chapter One: **Selfless  
**Author:** snarkysweetness  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Characters:** Emma, August, Archie, Henry, Cora, Regina, Rumpelstiltskin, Pinocchio, The Blue Fairy, Snow, Geppetto, Charming, & Neal; Emma/August, Snow/Charming, & Blue/Geppetto  
**This Chapter:** August, Archie, Emma, & Henry; Emma/August  
**Summary:** My take on what should happen in episode 18. When Archie fears August, who he's been hiding, is about to do something foolish and brave he goes to Emma for help. Will they be able to save August in time or will it be too late? And can True Love really conquer all or are there some curses that even love can't break?  
**Warnings:** Spoilers for future episodes, angst, and a lot of feels.  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.  
**Author's Notes: **We all know what's going to happen based on the set photos and I feel the need to write out how it should go down. I know Cora's probably going to die before the episode but I wanted to have her be the big bad in this story. This is going to be three chapters long, so enjoy!

The wooden man sat awkwardly upon the window seat as he stared at the street below forlornly. Below, the woman he loved and the boy he wished was his son stood with his human conscience. He wished, just for a moment, that she would look up and see him. He was sick of hiding. He'd been too ashamed to face the people he loved and had a futile hope that they would have found a way to return him to his former form.

But as more time passed it became clearer that he was stuck this way, his punishment for straying far from his destined path.

He knew it was past time to reveal himself, especially for his poor father's sake, but hiding was the only thing he was good at and so, here he stayed, hidden away in the tiny attic above Archie's flat.

The trio disappeared and the sound of a door opening alerted him that he would soon have company. He turned away from the window and moved to the staircase. The first week had been difficult, he had been much smaller the last time he'd been made completely of wood and learning to use his new body hadn't been easy. He'd eventually gotten the hang of it, but he couldn't very well be seen walking around Storybrooke, escaping the Inn had been hard enough, even under the cloak of night.

He'd been stuck in the tiny, cramped space, trying to come up with ways to become human again, in between worrying about Emma. First she'd been gone and then she was off to find Neal, not that he was surprised. He'd kept his word in sending the postcard; after all he'd put her through and all of the ways he'd failed her, reuniting her with her lost lover seemed to be the least he could do, even if the thought of her being without anyone else broke his now wooden heart.

"August?"

Archie's voice filtered in from his office below and the tone of it sent alarms going off in his head.

What now? What else could his princess possibly be going through? If his heart was real, it would clench at the thought of her in danger once more. He wanted to be human desperately, so he could protect her. This puppet form was useless and while he knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself, there was only so much one person could fight off on their own.

He used to imagine a life of the two of them fighting the world together and now…August slipped open the hatch and released the attic ladder. His joints creaked as he made his way down the rickety old stairs and into Archie's office.

"What's wrong?" He asked, noticing that Archie had a drink in his hand. Archie never touched the damn decanter of Whiskey in his office and last time August checked, he'd locked it away for fear that August would fall off the wagon.

Seeing as a puppet had no use or ability to eat or drink, it was a useless sentiment, though, if it were possible, August knew he'd have spent the past month drunk over his feelings for the Princess and his failures.

Archie toyed with his glass before downing its contents.

"Emma and Henry came to see me…"

"I saw that. What's wrong? Is it Regina? Cora?"

He'd been fooled by Archie's murder as well and he knew that if Archie was in any possible danger, Emma would not hesitate to warn him.

If only he hadn't been in this useless form, unable to be speedy or helpful, he could have 'saved' Archie or at least been able to warn Emma.

The look on Archie's face answered his question and August sighed.

"That's it, I need to see her. I can't…keep hiding. Maybe my mother knows of a way to make me be useful." He knew her magic was limited and couldn't change him back. She'd done enough by giving him life and then bringing him back to life, he didn't want to ask more of her, but he knew even if he did, there would be nothing. Archie had been digging for magical ways to change him back for weeks.

"No, magic is getting stronger, in a few weeks there should be enough of it-"

"A few _weeks_? Haven't I been hiding long enough? Do you know how hard it was not to find my father when we all thought you were dead? And every time you come home, Emma's in more danger. I can't keep doing this anymore.

What is it this time? Huh?"

Archie shifted uncomfortably and August made a beeline for the phone. Since this body was sluggish, Archie beat him to it with a sigh.

"Fine, just…know this isn't as bad as it sounds."

August knew a lie when he heard one. He crossed his arms and stared Archie down. The only good thing about being a life-size puppet was how uncomfortable it made people because it took merely moments for Archie to break under August's harsh gaze.

"Regina and Cora have Rumpelstiltskin's dagg-"

"Goddammit!" August wanted to hit something. He'd had the damn dagger in his possession and he should have found a way to destroy the damn thing when he had it. He'd been stupid and had let Rumpelstiltskin overpower him and now….

"They're going to have him kill Emma."

It wasn't even a question. He knew it had to be in their plans. Regina would get Henry back and the savior would be out of the way and if they had the dagger it mean they could control Rumpel or one of them could become the Dark One.

"August, whatever you're thinking, don't. I know you want to protect her, but you can't help Emma, not with that body. All you would be is-"

"What, in the way?"

They'd had this conversation a million times but it didn't mean August was done having it. He was done sitting around. He needed to find a way to protect the woman he loved, even if it was just to lose her to someone else or to die in the process. He wanted her and Henry to be happy and safe. He could die happy knowing that they were both together and free from danger.

"Yes," Archie put bluntly. "Emma cares about you and if they know you're alive, that they have something to use against her, you could make things worse. It's not like you can defend yourself and you're vulnerable like this. All you would do it put her in more danger by revealing yourself.

I will speak to your mother; we'll find a way to keep them safe. And…"

"You'll tell her I'm alive?"

Archie sighed.

"If that's what it takes, yes. I don't like lying to everyone any more than you do but I'm not going to let you get yourself killed either. We'll find a way to make you human again and until then, I'll do my best to make sure your princess is safe."

August didn't like it, but he supposed Archie had a point. He nodded and moved to the small sofa. He could feel Archie's eyes on him and he suspected that Archie knew a lie when he heard it, but August said nothing to the older man.

He knew exactly what he had to do and he'd be damned if he was going to let anyone, even Archie, stop him from protecting the woman he loved.


	2. Brave

**Title: **Selfless, Brave, and True  
**Chapter Two: **Brave  
**Author:** snarkysweetness  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Characters:** Emma, August, Archie, Henry, Cora, Regina, Rumpelstiltskin, Neal, Snow, Charming, & The Blue Fairy; Emma/August  
**Summary:** My take on what should happen in episode 18. When Archie fears August, who he's been hiding, is about to do something foolish and brave he goes to Emma for help. Will they be able to save August in time or will it be too late? And can True Love really conquer all or are there some curses that even love can't break?  
**Warnings:** Spoilers for future episodes, angst, and a lot of feels.  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.  
**Author's Notes: **Here's the second installment, lovelies.

Emma stood in the kitchen with a large knife and twirled it awkwardly. She had no idea how to cook anything but things out of a box, but Henry kept talking about how 'Regina makes this' and 'that' and how 'delicious' it all was and she had to admit, she felt inferior.

She'd barely had time to be a mother to Henry and the best she'd been able to do had been really bad tacos. Now that Neal was back with his father and here for Henry and Rumpelstiltskin wasn't dying, she was going to leave them all to deal with all of this supernatural bullshit. She wanted time alone with her kid and to just…

Deal.

With…

_Things._

Like…

"August," she whispered as her eyes moved to a frame photograph of the two of them, with Henry, at her mother's coming home party following her imprisonment. She'd avoided the topic of his death, finding it too hard to bear, but she'd finally managed to sit down with Marco to tell him everything and in the process, grieve for him, finally. She hated that it had taken so long but with everything else that had been going on, she didn't think she would have survived it all while mourning.

After she'd spent the previous night crying over her dead best friend who she knew could have been more if she'd let him into her heart, she'd decided it was time to tell Henry the truth.

She wanted him to start trusting her again and if she wanted that to happen she needed to stop trying to shield him from everything.

A knock came from the door and she looked back to find Henry rushing to answer it. She yelled something about how he'd slip and fall, but it fell on deaf ears. She shook her head and put her knife away. Who was she kidding? They were going to Granny's for dinner and she knew it.

"Archie, hey." She said as he entered the loft with Pongo in tow.

"Emma, hi…can we talk?"

"Of course."

She moved towards the couch and motioned for him to join her. He nodded in Henry's direction and Emma realized Archie meant he wanted to talk to her alone.

"Hey, kid? Why don't you take Pongo for a walk while Archie and I catch up?"

"That's a good idea, Pongo's missed you."

Henry nodded and took Pongo before muttering that they wanted him gone so they could keep keeping secrets from him. Emma closed her eyes with a loud sigh. Jesus fucking…

"What's going on, Archie?"

Archie stammered uncomfortably for a moment.

"I don't know how to say this to you…"

"Just spit it out Archie, like taking a band aid off," she interrupted.

He muttered something about how 'two of you are meant to be with those attitudes' and she frowned. What was he going on about?

"Well, it's about…." He cleared his throat.

"ARCHIE!"

"August's missing!" He blurted out before turning completely red. Emma sat, dumfounded for a long moment, before assuming he just didn't know that August was dead. Maybe Marco hadn't…but why…had Archie even….

"What?

Archie, August is dead. I watched him die. I don't know why Marco didn't tell you but-"

"He's not dead! When you broke the curse, it brought him back but he wasn't human. I mean he was still wooden and…well, we've been trying to turn him back but…

He's been feeling restless, wanting to help you and I made the mistake of telling him about Cora and Regina and the dagger and now he's missing and I think he's going to do something stupid to keep you safe."

Emma's hand began to shake and then her head followed.

"No…this isn't…I _watched_ him _die_!"

This wasn't happening. She hadn't finally come to accept his death and finally process it after weeks of pushing it to the side and avoiding it only to find out that the son-of-a-bitch was alive and well and had yet to come see her.

"Are you telling me he's been alive all of this time and he hasn't had the balls to face me?"

Now she was pissed. She'd forgiven him for everything; putting her in jail, abandoning her, lying to her, and stealing the money (she'd figured it out on her own), but only because he was gone.

But now?

She felt rage boil in her blood. She was going to find that coward and she was going to kill him.

Emma stood abruptly and grabbed her jacket.

"Come on, we're going to find that jackass!"

"But Emma, you don't understand…"

"Oh, I understand. He's a coward and he's going to explain to my face why he hasn't had the stones to be a man and tell me he's alive and then he's going to beg me for forgiveness for everything else he's done and then we're going to turn him back into a man so I can slap that beautiful face of his."

She was so angry she didn't even notice her Freudian slip.

"Emma, you're not listening to me! I didn't come here to tell you he's alive, I came here to tell you he's gone after Regina and Cora to try to keep you safe."

Emma reached for the door and then stopped. She allowed Archie's words to seep in and then she felt horror course through her.

"Why would he-"

"Because he's in love with you."

Henry came to the rescue, leaving her a moment to stand there speechless while he muttered something about how Pongo was freaking out. She knew it meant Cora was out there and she was loathe to take him along with her but if she left him with Archie…

"Henry, there's something I need to tell you."

Henry's face fell.

"What?"

"August is…Pinocchio."

Henry beamed up at her, probably relieved that she didn't have more bad news for him.

"I know."

"You-of course you do. Okay, well, he's been with Archie because…"

"I told him that Emma's enemies might want to use him against her and he's not entirely human right now-"

"Breaking the curse didn't help?" Henry asked.

"No and well, you see, August has been trying to help your mom from behind the scenes and he-"

"Decided he wanted to help for real? Like I did with the turnover."

Emma groaned.

"Look, Henry, the point is, we need to find him before he finds Cora. Got it?

Henry nodded enthusiastically and she took his hand before handing Archie Pongo's leash.

"Go find Marco and um…The Blue Fairy, I guess. We're going to see if we can find him before he does something stupid. And when I find him, I'm going to…well, it won't be pretty."

Emma closed her eyes tightly and prayed that her stupidly brave and stubborn puppet was still alive.

* * *

August hadn't left Archie's weeks; his own shame aside, he was sure the townspeople would be alarmed at the sight of a six foot wooden man. Wishing once more for his old body back, August carefully approached the back door to Gold's shop. Neal was sure to be staying with his father but August wasn't in the mood to die today so he hoped to find Neal somewhere out in the open, where his father couldn't kill him quite so easily.

Plus…

The back door didn't have a bell.

He was relieved to find it unlocked, it would be a bit difficult to pick the lock in his condition. He slipped inside the shop and did his best not to crash into anything. He heard voices from the shop and tip-toed his way towards the door to listen for Neal. If he was there, he'd linger until he could get him alone.

But…

"Now, Rumpelstiltskin tell me, how does one destroy the Dark One?"

August didn't recognize the voice so he moved closer, until he could make out three figures; Regina, Rumpelstiltskin, and who he assumed to be Cora wielding a silver dagger. The dagger he himself had once held with the hopes of controlling the Dark One.

Well…

Too late, once again.

Maybe he could help Neal get possession of the damn thing and…

"You're holding it, dearie."

"Mother, what are you doing?"

"Finding out his secrets, my love. I don't want him pulling any fast ones on us. Don't worry."

Even August could tell she was playing Regina. For The Evil Queen she sure had a streak of naivety when it came to mommy dearest.

"I command you; tell me how to destroy you!"

"With that dagger you hold, dearie and…" He fought it, but the dagger's control won out. "There was a prophecy. Henry is said to be the who will destroy me!"

Regina gasped and Cora took hold of her arm.

"This is good, now we can protect Henry, sweetheart. Now…go…find Henry and Emma, if you're with them when he comes…"

"Just one less reason for them to suspect us."

"That's right."

August moved back into the shadows as Regina left the shop. A moment after the bell rang; Cora held the dagger to Rumpelstiltskin's throat. Great, he was stuck in a shop with Cora and the Dark One, both of whom would light him on fire if given the chance.

Light spilled in from the back door as someone slipped in. August recognized the figure and before he could say anything or draw attention to them he covered Neal's mouth with his hand and shushed him. His old friend stared at him in shock and August shook his head. If they were discovered…

"Shh, Cora," he mouthed and Neal nodded in understanding.

"Now…here's what's going to happen. You're going to kill the entire Charming family, including Henry and Emma. And then when you're done I'll stab you with this little dagger and take your powers and then…no one will ever be able to stop me."

Neal rushed forward and August grabbed him and pulled him back.

"No, come on, we need to warn Emma-"

"That's my son-"

"I know but Cora's going to kill you if you-"

They heard footsteps and August pulled Neal into the alley.

"Look, I'll go the apartment, you check the diner, we'll get them somewhere safe, okay?"

Neal nodded and August rushed through the alley. As he rounded the corner he heard a loud crash and turned to find Neal groaning on the ground with Cora looming over him. As much as he wanted to save Neal, Henry and Emma came first.

He didn't have to go far to find them. A few blocks over from the shop he watched as Emma handed Henry off to her parents and he let out a sigh of relief.

"Look, just keep him somewhere safe and away from Cora until I find August, that's all-"

He opened his mouth to call out to her name became lodged in his throat as a possessed Rumpelstiltskin approached them. August knew a spell coming when he saw one and he rushed forward without thinking, surprised that he could move so fast. Rumpelstiltskin threw a spell in Henry's direction and before it could hit August shoved him out of the way.

August hit the ground hard as the spell knocked him off of his feet. His entire body felt as though it was on fire, which was ironic. He closed his eyes as the fiery feeling spread through him.

"AUGUST! NO!" Someone fell to their knees next to him and he really hoped it was Emma since she was the one screaming.

"Mom."

August fought to open his eyes and he found Emma clutching Henry with tears in her eyes while she stared down at him.

"August," she whispered through a sob as she kissed Henry's temple.

"Princess," he coughed. He could feel the life fading from him and he cursed Rumpelstiltskin for choosing such a torturous death for a small child. At least Henry didn't have to suffer it. "Where's…"

More voices. His mother's this time. He turned just in time to witness her use her wand to bind Rumpelstiltskin and he closed his eyes again with a small sigh.

"Henry's safe," he muttered, relieved.

"August, come on, don't do this to me again…"

He felt a hand on his cheek but he no longer had the strength to speak or open his eyes. A small smile crossed his lips as he realized he got to see her one more time before he died.


	3. True

**Title: **Selfless, Brave, and True  
**Chapter Three: **True  
**Author:** snarkysweetness  
**Rating:** PG-13  
**Characters:** Emma, August, Henry, Pinocchio, The Blue Fairy, Snow, Geppetto, Charming, & Rumpelstiltskin; Emma/August, Snow/Charming, & Blue/Geppetto  
**Summary:** My take on what should happen in episode 18. When Archie fears August, who he's been hiding, is about to do something foolish and brave he goes to Emma for help. Will they be able to save August in time or will it be too late? And can True Love really conquer all or are there some curses that even love can't break?  
**Warnings:** Spoilers for future episodes, angst, and a lot of feels.  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.  
**Author's Notes: **Here's the end, my dears, I apologize in advance for all of the feels.

Emma dropped to her knees in complete and utter horror. One minute she'd felt fear like she'd never known before for her son's life and the next relief followed by the realization that August had saved him. Except it wasn't August, not the way she remembered him, but it didn't matter to her, he was still _her_ August.

"August, no!"

Her voice didn't even sound like her own. Everything around her turned into a blur. She was only aware of Henry, who she clung to tightly.

"Mom, he's dying!"

She shook her head and kissed his temple while rocking him slowly and whispering 'no' to herself and did her best to think of something. Her father tried to take Henry but she snapped, unwilling to ever let him go again. Anytime he was away from her his life ended up in danger.

"NO ONE IS TAKING MY SON FROM ME!"

"Emma, August needs you, Henry will be right here."

She slowly glanced up to meet her mother's eyes and very gently released her grip on Henry. He shook his head, not wanting to leave her, but she gave him a small nod of assurance.

"I'll be right here, sweetie, okay?" Henry nodded and she kissed the top of his head before handing him over to her mother. The moment he left her arms she went into full hysteria mode.

"August, wake up, please, please, please." She touched his cheek gingerly and turned his face towards her. He wasn't breathing, but did a living puppet breathe? "Don't die, not again. I lost you once…"

"Don't cry…" He mumbled and she sobbed in relief.

"August, hold on."

"BLUE! DO SOMETHING!" Her father yelled. Emma clenched August's hand as The Blue Fairy and his father ran to their side.

"Oh no…"

"My boy! My boy!"

Emma sat back on her heels to give them some room but kept her hold on August. Geppetto began crying over August while The Blue Fairy waved her wand, looking devastated.

"What's happening?" Emma demanded as The Blue Fairy lifted August's shirt to reveal a sickly green wound, right where Rumpelstiltskin's curse had hit.

"It's too late…magic can't save him…it's only delayed because he's no longer…"

"Human," Emma whispered.

"Father, I'm sor-"

"No, my boy, I am the one who is sorry."

"You have to save him," Emma whispered weakly. She stared down at their joined hands as his wooden fingers linked with hers.

"Emma-"

"Shh, don't, save your streng-"

"I love yo-"

The moment he was gone, really gone, Emma felt it. All of the air left her body and every bit of composure she had left broke. With a loud sob, she shoved both of his parents out of the way and placed her lips over his desperately.

"I love you too, please…" When nothing happened she kissed him again and again and again until her lips were sore. Her father grabbed her and she shoved him off. She realized her face was covered in tears and snot and she felt disgusting but it didn't matter, she had to bring him back. She hit his chest hard before wailing loudly.

"You're not allowed to die, you son-of-a-bitch! You can't die on me twice! And you can't tell me something like that and then-I'm sorry it took me so long to realize…please come back. I love you." Another sob left her as her voice cracked. Her father pulled her into his arms and she began to weep against his chest.

"Emma, I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair as he rubbed her back.

"Don't be sorry, daddy, bring him back!"

"Princess, I can't, he's gone."

Hearing it out loud broke her heart but she was Emma Swan, she was too stubborn to give up. She pulled away from him and wiped her eyes angrily.

"Can't you do anything?" She asked as she gave Blue an accusatory glare. "In the book…when Pinocchio died saving Geppetto from Monstro, you brought him back to life! And before I broke the curse, I watched him die and he came back. There has to be _something_."

The Blue Fairy twirled her wand between her fingers uncomfortably before sharing a 'look' with Geppetto.

"There is something, isn't there?"

"There may be, but…you won't like it."

"Just bring him back!"

"Emma-" She began but Geppetto cut her off.

"My love, please…our boy…"

Emma was far too interested in bringing August back to question the very strange romance that appeared to be happening between his unconventional parents. Quite frankly, she didn't give a damn, she just wanted him back.

"You don't understand, if I do this-"

"JUST DO IT!"

Charming pulled Emma to her feet and she pulled Henry against her as they watched Blue wave her wand over August's body. Translucent, glittery light shone over him, momentarily blinding them, and when it dissipated August was gone.

"What the Hell?"

In August's place was a small boy with red hair, younger than Henry, wearing ridiculous clothes. He was literally the cutest thing she'd ever seen and he looked completely lost and confused.

"Father?"

"Pinocchio!"

Geppetto pulled the small boy into his arms and began weeping. Emma, refusing to believe it was really Pinocchio, watched with a stone cold expression on her face as she held Henry against her

"What did you do?" Emma hissed after a minute. The Blue Fairy ignored her and moved to her knees. Pinocchio shyly pulled away from his father before throwing himself into Blue's arms.

"What do you remember, Pinocchio?" Blue whispered as she pulled away from him.

"Father and I were on the raft and then…" He blinked a few times as if trying to remember and then shrugged.

"What did you _do_ to him?" Emma asked again, annoyed.

"I did what you asked me to do. The only way to bring him back to life was…to give him a second chance. To reset his life from the moment he became a real boy…"

"But…he's a child…"

"Emma-" Her mother wrapped her arms around her shoulders and Emma fought back another sob. Even if this wasn't her August, it was him, as a child, and she didn't want to traumatize him any more than he already seemed to be.

"Maybe it's for the best," Snow offered.

"But I love him," Emma replied numbly.

"Do you know who I am?" Henry asked as he approached Pinocchio.

"No."

Emma turned away, unable to watch. The man she loved, the man who was her best friend, the man who could have been Henry's step-father someday was now a fucking child. She had no idea what the appropriate response to this was supposed to be, but she was pretty sure vomiting wasn't it and right now that was the only thing he body wanted to do.

"Maybe we can find a way to get him back, Pr-Emma."

"Thanks Dav-dad." She stood awkwardly for a moment as she realized she'd never called him 'dad' before. She sighed and looked back at Pinocchio and his strange family and then to her own. If she'd had the choice, she'd go back and do her life over; get to be with her parents, keep Henry, do everything the way it was supposed to be done. She didn't like it, but if she had no choice in the matter, she'd rather see August get to have his life with his family over having no life at all.

"Mom's right, it's for the best. At least they have each other again." She tried to be strong when she said it, but her walls were crumbled and she couldn't pull them back up so the words came out in mangled mess of a half-sob. Her dad pulled her into a hug and she cried for a moment before forcing herself to calm down.

She lowered herself to Pinocchio's level and gave him a small smile.

"I know you don't remember who I am, Pinocchio, but I love you and I want you to promise me something, okay?" The small boy nodded and she did her best to give him a smile. "You be a good boy? And make sure you tell your dad you love him every day, okay? And be happy."

He gave her a small nod and she pressed a kiss to his forehead. She watched him another moment, hoping that something might happen and August would be standing there. It didn't. She slowly stood and turned to let her father pull her into his arms. She hugged him back and whispered for Henry to go to his grandmother before she began to weep.

"Just take him…we'll…bring him by to see Henry soon, she'll need a few wee…she'll need some time, Geppetto."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Emma wrapped her arms around her father's middle and turned her head slightly to the left to watch as her mother and Blue used a combination of magic and handcuffs to shackle an unconscious Rumpelstiltskin to a bike rack. She felt Henry at her side and wrapped one arm around him to pull him close. Pinocchio took one hand of each of his parents and the trio walked away slowly.

Her father stroked her hair and sighed.

"We'll get past this, Emma." At least he wasn't giving her the 'it'll be okay' bullshit. She tightened her hold on Henry and fought off a fresh wave of tears. She didn't have time for this. She had to find Neal so they could get Henry out of town until they dealt with the Cora issue. She'd lost too much already; she refused to lose Henry too.

Pinocchio stopped in his tracks, forcing his parents to stop and turned to watch Emma for a moment. She pulled away from her boys and wiped her eyes as she turned away. All she could see when she looked at him was the man he was supposed to be and it hurt too much.

"Father, why is the pretty lady sad?"

"Because she lost someone she loves, Pinocchio. Come, my boy, let's leave them to-"

A moment later something hard hit her legs and she looked down to find Pinocchio hugging her legs. As if possessed, she lowered herself to her knees and tucked a small piece of his ginger hair behind his ear.

"It's okay to be sad," he told her before hugging her tightly around the middle. Emma hesitated for a moment, lost, before hugging him back.

"Thank you, Pinocchio."

He pulled away and gave her a familiar smile, a smile that she loved, and then kissed her cheek. The moment his lips made contact with her skin Emma felt a familiar rush of magic, only this time, it was so strong it knocked her onto her ass.

"Goddammit, I am sick of this magic bullshit," Emma muttered, wondering what it was _now_.

"Is that really language you should use around children, Princess?"

Emma huffed and pushed herself off of the ground while brushing herself off.

"You know what, August, how about you go and fuc-August?"

Emma turned so quickly she nearly gave herself whiplash. Pinocchio was nowhere to be found and there he was, her stupid stubbled writer, giving her a shit-eating grin. She rushed at him and threw her entire body weight against his body as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Is it really you?"

"I hope so-"

Emma cut him off by pressing her lips firmly against his. August pulled her against him and kissed her back. The entire world fell away as their mouths moved against each other, slowly, but fervently, leaving them both bruised and breathless, but they didn't stop. It wasn't until a good five minutes later, when her father cleared his throat very loudly and threateningly that they finally broke away from one another.

"Sorry, dad," Emma whispered, not really sorry. She rested her cheek against August's chest for a moment before he abandoned her for Henry.

"Kid!" He picked Henry up and hugged him tightly. Henry wrapped his arms around August's neck happily before burying his face there.

"I missed you, August."

"I missed you, too." August smiled and squeezed Henry. Emma felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find a wet-faced Geppetto watching the two fondly.

"Does this mean you and mom are going to get married and I get to have two dads?"

Emma crossed her arms and chuckled uncomfortably.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves…"

Though, she had to admit, if August had been that adorable as a child, she wouldn't mind the idea of having another version of Henry running around, _someday_.

August frowned and set Henry on the ground.

"Speaking of Neal…"

"I already know everything. He told me."

"And you're not…angry?"

"Oh, I'm pissed, and after all this Cora crap is over, I'm going to have _lots_ of time to be mad at you and to make you grovel."

Henry and August exchanged 'looks' before August cleared his throat.

"Yes, well…oh crap," August whispered before wincing. "Neal's knocked out behind his father's shop. We made the mistake of splitting up and-"

"We'll go get him, come on Charming. Henry, you too, we should-well, your dad will want to see you." Snow offered. She gave Emma a small wink as Blue and Geppetto offered to join them in case they needed 'help'.

"We'll be there in like one minute," Emma called. Her dad gave her a knowing look and she looked down with a smile and a small blush before waving as they all walked away.

"So…Princess," he grabbed her by the waist and drew her flush against him before kissing her again. "If you had just kissed me a long time ago-"

She rounded on him and hit his chest.

"First of, do not wait until you are dying to tell a woman you love her. Second, I did kiss you, after you died the first time. Third…wait…how did you come back?"

August moved his hands into her hair and grinned.

"Well, see, I was too busy trying to help you break this curse thing our families were under and you were a little busy with Henry, so you know, there was never a good time. And…that would explain why I woke back up and…I have no idea? I mean…little me must have…loved you for a moment or something? Please don't ask me to explain magical stuff to you; I don't get any of it."

"Yeah, well, I'm supposedly magical and I don't get any of it either," she confessed before brushing her palm over his stubble.

"So…you love me?" He asked with a cocky smile.

"So? You love me."

"I do," he whispered as he lowered his lips to hers.

Emma pulled away before he could kiss her and shook her head.

"Before you do that again, I need you to promise me something."

"Anything, Princess."

She glanced up to meet his eyes and gave him a small frown.

"Don't die on me again?"

He chuckled and pulled her against his chest before kissing the top of her head.

"I think I can manage that, Princess."

"August?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you too."

"I know, Princess," he kissed her for a brief moment. "I know." He took her hand and linked their fingers together before leading her towards the shop. "Now, come on, let's go find Neal before his Papa wakes up and tries to kill us all some more."

"Oh right, there is _that_ to deal with," Emma muttered, feeling better about the entire situation they all found themselves in now that she felt less like she was facing it alone.


End file.
